Method and apparatus for treating web and/or strand material



Sept. 22, 1959 v. 'r. FAHRINGER 2,905,522

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WEB AND/OR STRAND MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1954 g I D VICTOR 7. Ewe/AMER BY ALmawe ATTORNEYS.

INVENI'OR 2 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WEB AND/OR STRAND MATERIAL Filed April 22, 1954 Sept. 22, 1959 v. T. FAHRINGEi? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i Q& 5M6 I. E I- y Q: 3 II 982 ll Q 1| aw g I. l l l m8 uwm NS vb N w Qmm \HQ 3 Q m mw United States Patent NIETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING WEB V AND/0R STRAND MATERIAL Victor T. Fahringer, Clarksville, Va.

Application April 22, 1954, Serial No. 424,855

' 12 Claims. (CL 8-151) This invention generally relates to the art of dyeing or otherwise treating textile materials and it is especially concerned with an improved apparatus and method for treating synthetic fibers in strand or web form with liquids such as dye liquors.

In the process of dyeing synthetic fibers, such as nylon, Orlon, and Dacron, etc. in strand and Web form or in the form of fabric, it is desirable that the dye liquors or other aqueous solutions be maintained at temperatures substantially above those normally obtainable at atmospheric pressures in order to insure that the synthetic fibers are thoroughly penetrated by the aqueous dyestuffs or other treating solutions to which they are subjected. Nylon is a synthetic polymeric amide or synthetic linear condensation polyamide. Dacron formerly known as Fiber V, is a polyester made from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol and Orion is formed from a polymer of acrylonitrile.

As is well known, the boiling point of water at the normal atmospheric pressure of 14.696 pounds per square inch is 212 degrees F. By increasing pressure, an increase in temperature can be attained. For example, if the pressure is increased by five pounds per square inch,

the temperature of the dye or other treating solution can,

be increased to 227 F. and by increasing pressure to ten pounds per square inch, temperature may be raised to approximately 240 F.

Heretofore various attempts have been made to increase the vapor pressure exerted on dye liquors and other aqueous solutions to permit raising the temperatures thereof. Such means of increasing the pressure have mainly consisted of enclosing the dye bath, dye liquor or other treating solution with the material to be treated thereby and, of necessity, the enclosure has required that fabrics or other web or strand materials be dyed in intermittent batches rather than continuously, since it has not been known heretofore to introduce the material into the enclosure and Withdraw it therefrom while still maintaining the treating medium under the required high vapor pressure. The batch dyeing process ha also been objectionable because it has been necessary that the synthetic fibers in either web form or strand form be positioned in the enclosures in a haphazard manner which formed folds in the material and which required that the aqueous dyestuffs penetrate several thicknesses of the material during the dyeing process with resultant uneven dyeing of the material.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for treating textile materials in strand or web form wherein the material is continuously moved into, through and out of an enclosure or pressure vessel and which, in passing through the enclosure, is subjected to an aqueous treating solution which is maintainedunder relatively high temperatures substantially exceeding the normal boiling point thereof andis maintained'at a superatmospheric pressure.

It is another object of this invention to provide apa 2,905,522 Patented Sept. 22,1959

paratus for treating textile materials in web or strand form comprising a heated pressure vessel having opposed openings therein of a size slightly greater than the thickness of the web or strand material and through which the web or strand material passes in its course through the enclosure. Dye liquor is forced into the enclosure under pressure and is maintained above atmospheric pressure by providing a liquid or fluid seal exteriorly of each of the openings in the vessel and wherein the fluid forming the seal is heated at least to the boiling point at atmospheric pressure.

Since the ingress and egress openings in the vessel or enclosure are only sufiiciently large to permit the web or strand material to pass therethrough, the web or strand material also acts partially as its own sealing medium and this, combined with the liquid or fluid seal adjacent the ingress and egress openings restricts passage of the dye liquor or treating solution within the enclosure, al though under relatively high pressure, through the ingress and egress openings.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an" apparatus of the character last described wherein the walls of the ingress and egress slots or openings are provided with complementary sealing rolls which are of relatively smalldiameter and are loosely mounted in opposite walls of each slot or opening and between which the fabric, Web or strand material passes as it, passes through the ingress and the egress openings.

Since the dye liquor or other treating solution is maintained under relatively high pressure and at high temperature within the enclosure, it tends to pass into the liquid seal or fluid seal exteriorly of the enclosure at each of said openings, and, in so doing, the rounded proximal surfaces of adjacent pairs of sealing rolls serve as a Venturi and the passage of the dye liquor or treating solution under high pressure through the ingress and egress openings creates a suction at the proximal surfaces of the sealing rolls which tends to urge the sealing rolls into engagement with opposite sides of the strand or web material, thus further sealing the ingress and egress openings and assisting in maintaining the pressure within the vessel or enclosure relatively higher than the atmospheric pressure exteriorly of the vessel or enclosure.

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-I pending application Serial No. 424,869, entitled Pressure Sealing Valve for Web or Strand Passageways, filed April 22', 1954, now Patent No. 2,834,193.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying,

drawings, in which Figure l is a schematic view showing one embodiment 1 ranged;

Figure 4 is another view showing how two of the pressure vessels or pressure enclosures may be serially ar-,

ranged for use in a so-called jig-dyeing apparatus;

Figure 5 is aschematic view of another form of treat- 2 ing apparatus embodying the features of the present,

cated at 6 in Figure 5 and showing a preferred means for introducing steam and liquid dyestuff or other treating solution into the pressure vessel or enclosure.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, the numeral designates a suitable open-topped tank adapted to contain a suitable treating solution 11 which may be termed as dye liquor or liquid dyestufi in this instance, since the present invention is particularly concerned with dyeing synthetic fibers in strand or web form, such as nylon, Dacron, Orlon and the like.

Suitably supported between the side walls of the tank 10 is a pressure enclosure or pressure vessel 12 which is shown in the form of a cylinder in Figure I. The pressure vessel 12 is completely submerged in the dye liquor 11 and its lower portion and front and rear portions are spaced from the walls of the tank 10. The dye liquor 11 in the tank 10 is heated to the boiling point at atmospheric pressure by means of steam jets or steam injectors 13 and 13' disposed below and above the pressure vessel 12, respectively, and each of which is connected to a suitable source of steam shown schematically and indicated at 14.

The discharge ends of the steam injectors or jets 13 and 13' are partially disposed within the corresponding end of respective Venturi tubes 16 and 16' which penetrate the upper and lower portions of the wall of the pressure cylinder 12 and whose inner ends communicate with respective hollow manifold blocks or dispersion valves 17 and,17'.

The manifold blocks 17 and 17 have respective groups of discharge openings 20 and 20' therein and the kinetic energy of the steam entering the Venturi tubes 16 and 16' induces the dye liquor 11, which completely surrounds the steam injectors 13 and 13' as well as the Venturitubes 16 and 16', to flow into the respective manifold blocks 17 and 17' and to be dispersed into the pressure vessel 12 through the corresponding discharge openings 20 and 20'. The dye liquor is also thoroughly mixed with the steam as it enters the pressure vessel 12 through the tubes 16, 16 and the dispersion valves 17, 17.

In actual practice, it has been found desirable to provide a plurality of the steam injectors 13 and 13' and the corresponding Venturi and dispersing blocks at the top and bottom portions of the pressure vessel 12 substantially throughout the length thereof with these units being spaced approximately six inches from each other. However, the number of these units and the spacing thereof is dependent upon the desired pressure and temperature to be maintained Within the pressure vessel 12.

Assuming the material M to be treated is in web form, it passes from a suitable source, not shown, over a roll 22 spaced above the tank 10 and then the material M passes downwardly through and is saturated by immersion in the dye liquor 11 surrounding the pressure vessel 12 as it passes beneath an idler roll 23, from whence it passes through an ingress opening 24 formed in the wall of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12, then through the super-heated dye liquor disposed within the pressure vessel 12 and thence through an egress or discharge opening 25 disposed substantially diametrically opposite from the opening 24.

The material then successively passes in engagement with rollers 26 and 27 and is withdrawn therefrom by any suitable means, not shown. The guide rolls 23 and 26 are so positioned as to insure that the fabric or web material M passes through exactly the center of each of the slots or openings 24 and 25. Since the material M is described as being in web form, the ingress and egress openings 24 and 25 are in the form of slots which extend lengthwise of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 for a distance sufficient to accommodate the width of the web material M.-

The ingress and egress openings 24 and 25 in the wall of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 are'also' relatively.

narrow to provide a minimum of space between the opvided for heatingthe solution within the pressure vessel posite sides of the web material M and the walls of the corresponding openings as the web material passes therethrough. Thus, the dye liquor 11 surrounding or exteriorly of the pressure vessel or cylinder 12 is heated by the steam injectors 13 and 13' and maintained substantially at the boiling point at atmospheric pressure. Of course, steam coils or other means may be provided in addition to the steam injectors 13 and 13 for maintaining the dye liquor 11 exteriorly of the pressure vessel or cylinder 12 substantially at the boiling point at atmospheric pressure. Also, additional means may be pro- As heretofore stated, as the steam is injected into and through the Venturi tubes 16 and 16 by the respectivesteam injectors 13 and 13, the steam induces the dye liquor to also flow through the Venturi tubes 16 and- 16' to be dispersed by the dispersion nozzles 17 and 17 as it enters the interior of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12. The Venturi tubes 16 and 16 and the dispersion nozzles 17 and 17 also cooperate to thoroughly mix the steam with the dye liquor and the steam thereby maintains the dye liquor within the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 at the desired temperature and this temperature is maintained substantially above the temperature of the solution or dye liquor disposed exteriorly of the pressure vessel or cylinder 12, since pressures above atmospheric may be attained within the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 because the slots or openings 24 and 25 limit the flow of high temperature liquor from within the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 to quantities less than the steam jets or injectors 13 and 13' can force into the cylinder or pressure vessel 12.

It is apparent, therefore, that the slots or openings 24 and 25 should be of minimim size; only slightly larger than the thickness of the material passing therethrough. This permits the material M to act as its own sealing medium, in part, and restricts passage of the high temperature dye liquor within the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 to the liquor disposed exteriorly of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12, the latter of which is only under atmospheric pressure.

The dye liquor 11 disposed exteriorly of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 is the embodiment of the fluid seal or liquid seal in the forms of the invention shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 and, in addition, it will be observed in Figures 1 and 2 that the walls of each of the openings 24 and 25 are provided with longitudinally extending grooves 30 and 31 therein in which respective pressure sealing rolls 32 and 33 are loosely disposed. Although the lower sealing roll 32 would normally tend to rest on the bottom of the groove 30, due to the pull of gravity, the pressure of the dye liquor 11 within the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 tends to cause the dye liquor therein to escape through the ingress and egress openings 24 and 25 and, in so doing, this creates a negative pressure on the proximal surfaces of the sealing rolls 32 and 33 and causes the sealing rolls to move toward each other into or substantially into engagement with opposite surfaces of the material M, thus further restricting outward flow of the dye liquor from within the cylinder or pressure vessel 12. The rolls 32 and 33 are loosely mounted in the corresponding grooves 30 and 31 so they may rotate freely in engagement with the material M as it passes through the corresponding ingress and egress openings 24 and 25.

It is apparent that the dye liquor disposed exteriorly of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 serves as a sealing medium because, if the super-heated dye liquor Within the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 were allowed to discharge directly into the atmosphere, it would immediately change into steam and be dissipated into the atmosphere.

However, since the ingress and egress slots or openings 24 and 25 are disposed below the surface of the surrounding dye liquor exteriorly of the cylinder or pressure vessel 12, the high temperature liquid only reduced to substantially the normal boiling temperature where the majority of its heat -is retained.

In Figure 3 there is shown schematically an arrangement of a plurality of cylinders or pressure vessels 1211 which may be identical to the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 and showing how they may be arranged in a common relatively large or elongated tank 10a for passing a web material Ma successively through the serially arranged cylinders or pressure vessels 12 to further insure thorough impregnation of the fibers with the dye liquor during continuous dyeing.

In the form shown in Figure 3, the material Ma suc- 1 cessively passes between upper and lower series of rolls 22a and 23a and in its course through the treating solution 11a and between eaoi adjacent pair of rolls, the material M-a passes through one of the cylinders or pressure vessels 12. It is apparent that the ingress and egress openings in the cylinders or pressure vessels 12a are arranged in angular relationship in order that the material M-a may pass through the cylinders or pressure vessels 12a in a straight line. The material Ma may be drawn through the tank 10a by any suitable means, not shown.

In Figure 4 there is another embodiment of the invention in which a jig-dyeing apparatus is illustrated and wherein the fabric or other material is indicated at M-b and passes from a let-E roll 36, downwardly into a tank 10b which also contains a suitable treating solution or dye liquor indicated at 1112 and the material M-b successively passes beneath an idler roll 37, through a cylinder or pressure vessel 12b, beneath another idler roll 40, then upwardly at an angle through a cylinder or pressure vessel 12b and thence, beneath another idler roll 41 whereupon it passes out of the solution or dye liquor 11b and is taken up by a suitably driven take-up roll 42. As in the form of the invention shown in Figure 3, the cylinders or pressure vessels 12b and 12b may be identical to the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 shown in Figure 1.

Since the cylinders or pressure vessels 12a in Figure 3 and 12b and 12b in Figure 4 are constructed and operate in substantially the same manner as the cylinder or pressure vessel 12 shown in Figure l, a further description and illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary, the illustrations shown in Figures 3 and 4 being provided merely as examples of various ways in which the circular type pressure vessel or cylinder 12 may be employed in processing web or strand material.

Form of invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 In Figure 5 there is shown another form of the invention which embodies substantially the same principles as described with respect to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, but wherein the liquid or fluid seal at the ingress and egress openings of the pressure vessel are formed somewhat difierently from that shown and described with respect to Figure 1. It will be noted that the pressure vessel shown in Figure 5 is not of cylindrical shape and, also, it is not completely submerged in surrounding dye liquor or other treating solution.

The pressure vessel or enclosure shown in Figure 5 is designated at 12c and: is shown as being completely enclosed with the exception of the ingress and egress openings formed in opposed walls of the pressure vessel 12c, these ingress and egress openings being respectively designated at 24c and 250 in Figure 5. The upper walls of the slots or openings 24c and 250 in Figure 5 are preferably defined by the lower surfaces of a removable cover 45 fixed on the vessel 120 which may be removed to facilitate threading the synthetic material M-c in web or strand form into and through the vessel 12c. When the cover is closed it is sealed by suitable means, not shown, except at the openings 24c and 250.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 5, the vessel 120 is adapted to contain a supply of treating solution such as dye liquor indicated at 11c and which may vessel 12c and which includesa pipe or conduit 46, one

end of which is connected to the vessel 120. The pipe or conduit 46 is shown as being bent at substantially right angles. to form an uprising portion 47 thereon connected to the lower or bottom wall of a suitable reservoir 50 preferably provided with a removable cover 51 on its upper end so the cover 51 may be removed for replenishing the supply of dye liquor or treating solution in the tank or reservoir 50 as it is used.

In order to heat the dye liquor as his transferred from the reservoir 50 into the pressure vessel 120, a suitable steam injector or steam jet 52, of substantially less ent 47 of pipe 46. The steam jet or steam injector 52 may be connected to a suitable source of steam indicated schematically at 14c in Figure 5. Thus, due to the Bernoulli effect caused by kinetic energy of the steam entering pipe 46, the dye liquor or other treating solution in the reservoir 50 isdrawn into the pipe 47 and thoroughly mixed with the steam discharged from the pipe or from the steam injector- 52 and, of course, the dye liquor is then forced into the vessel 120.

Since the pressure within the tank or vessel 120 is substantially greater than the pressure in the reservoir 50, it is preferable that a suitable check valve such as is generally designated at 53 be provided in the pipe 46 between the free end of the steam injector 52 and the vessel 120. Although only one pipe 46 and its corresponding steam injector 52 is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, it is apparent that any desired number of the pipes 46 and corresponding steam injectors 52 may be provided in accordance with the desired pressure and temperature to be maintained within the pressure vessel 120. Also, in order to assist in heating the dye liquor or other treating solution in the pressure vessel 12c, suitable steam coils 57 may be positioned in the lower portion of the pressure vessel 12c and may be connected to the source of steam 140, as desired.

Now, in order to assist in sealing the outer ends of the ingress and egress openings or slots 24c and 250, a fluid or liquid seal is provided by means of a pair of immersion or auxiliary tanks 60 and 60' disposed adjacent the respective openings 24c and 250. The outer portions of the respective tanks 60 and 60' are open at their upper ends and disposed above and immediately adjacent the open upper end portions of the immersion tanks 60 and 60' are respective idler rollers 61 and 61C, Disposed inwardly of the respective idler rollers 61 and 61 are other respective idler rollers 62 and 62' which idler rollers 62 and 62 are confined in steam chambers formed by respective upper walls 63, 63' and outer walls or baflle plates 64, 64';

It should be noted that each of the immersion tanks 60, 66' contains fluid which may be plain water, dye liquor or other treating solution of the same character as the treating solution and in which the lower portions of the baflle plates 64, 64' are immersed. Submerged in the solution below the respective bafile plates 64, 64' are respective idler rolls'65, 65. This fluid may completely fill the tanks 60 and 60' and cover the openings 24c and 250 if desired in a particular arrangement. Generally, steam adjacent the exterior of the openings 24c and 250, in combination with fluidjust below the same, is suflicient as a seal. I

In this instance, the web or strand material M-c is withdrawn from a suitable source, such as a roll 67 which rests upon a pair of rolls 68 and 69 which may or may not he driven as, desired. The material M-c passes from roll 67 beneath roll 69 and thence over roll 61 and then downwardly beneath the roll 65 where it is immersed in the treating solution or dye liquor contained in the im-. mersion tank 60. The material M-c then passes upwardly adjacent the opposite side of the bafiie plate 64 from that which it passed in its course downwardly from the roll 61 and it then passes over roll 62 and enters the tank or pressure vessel 12c through the ingress opening 240.

The treating solution or dye liquor in each of the immersion tanks 60, 61' may be heated by respective pairs of perforated steam pipes 72, 73 and 72', 73 which may also be connected to a suitable source of steam such as that indicated at 140 in Figure 5. It is preferable that the perforated steam pipes 72,, 73 are disposed astride the path of travel of the fabric or other material M-c as it passes from above the normal level of the dye liquor or treating solution in the immersion tank 60 to the roll 62. Thus, the steam pipes 72 and 73 create a relatively high steam pressure in the steam chamber defined by the plates 63 and 64, which not only serves to heat thetreating solution or dye liquor in the immersion tank 60, but also maintains a relatively high pressure Within the steam chamber defined by the plates 63 and 64 and thereby assists in restricting the passage of steam or dye liquor from within the tank or pressure vessel 120 through the corresponding ingress opening 24c.

The web or strand material M-c may be supported in any desired manner within the pressure tank or vessel 12c and, in this instance, the material M-c passes through the ingress opening 240 and over an idler roll 74 as it enters the pressure vessel 12c. The material then passes down- Wardly and successively beneath a pair of idler rolls 75, 76 and then upwardly and over an idler roll 74' from whence it passes outwardly through the egress opening or slot 25c in the pressure vessel 120. It is apparent, by referring to Figure 5, that the material M-c passes from the egress opening 250, successively in engagement with the idler rolls 62, 65' and 61', in the course of which the material M-c passes first on one side and then the other side of the bafiie plate 64' as it is immersed in the treating solution or dye liquor in the tank 60. The material M-c may be withdrawn from the roll 61 by any suitable means, not shown.

It should also be noted in Figure that the walls of the ingress and egress openings 24c, 256 are each provided' with complementary pairs of grooves 300, 310 in which pressure sealing rollers 32c, 33c are loosely mounted and which function in the same manner as the sealing rollers 32, 33 heretofore described with respect to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved method and means for treating textile materials in web or strand form, such as dyeing and which method is particularly adapted to the dyeing of synthetic fibers, such as nylon, Orlon, Dacron" and the like, by continuously passing the synthetic fibers in web or strand form through a pressure vessel, so arranged that it is possible to maintain the dye liquor or other treating solution therein at a substantially higher temperature than the normal boiling point would be at atmospheric pressure by introducing and withdrawing the material through ingress and egress openings or slots formed in the pressure vessel, the outer ends of which slots are sealed by a novel fluid or liquid seal. The liquor or fluid seal is formed by positioning the ingress and egress openings of the pressure vessel below the level of the heated treating solution or dye liquor exteriorly of the pressure vessel shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 or, as shown in Figure 5, the fluid seal may be formed by steam pressure wherein steam is introduced into a compartment, one of whose walls is in the form of a baflie whose lower portion is at least partially immersed in a dye liquor or other treating solution contained in an immersion tank through which the material passes, so that the steam in the steam chamber may be maintained at a higher pressure therein than is possible exteriorly of the steam chamber.

It should be noted that in all forms of the invention, dye liquor or other treating solution is forced into the pressure vessel by steam jets or steam injectors and additional dye liquor or other treating solution is carried into the cylinder by the cloth, fabric, web material or strand material itself which, prior to passage through the ingress and egress openings or slots, is saturated by immersion in the liquid which, in the forms of the invention shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, surrounds the cylinder or pressure vessel and which, in the form of the inven- 7 tion shown in Figures 5 and 6, is provided in the separate immersion tanks. This saturation as well as the vapor in the upper portion of the vessel 12c conditions the material and causes better penetration of the dyestuff.

One of the most outstanding advantages of the present invention lies in the fact that, whereas it has required several hours in order to dye a given length of material heretofore, it is possible to dye the same amount of material by means of the improved method and apparatus in a relatively few minutes. Also, all the entire length of the material will be uniformly dyed, since only one thickness of the material passes through the dye liquor at a time and the material may be dyed in a continuous process.

The particular dyestufis and chemicals used in practicing the present invention are not novel and are not claimed as a part of the present invention. Synthetic fibers and fabrics are presently being dyed under high temperature and high pressure and the dyestuffs and method used in these present processes will work satisfactorily in practicing the present invention, the present invention being concerned with the continuous dyeing of material in web or strand form which has not heretofore been known.

For example, best results are achieved by using temperature above the normal boiling point of the dye liquor preferably ranging from 220 degrees F. to 280 degrees F. Lower temperature does not give satisfactory results and higher temperature tends to have a deleterious eifect upon the material being dyed. The pressure within the vessel should be from ten to forty pounds per square inch depending upon the temperature desired. The time of the dyeing operation depends upon the exhaustion desired and the particular type of fabric being dyed. The temperature and gauge pressure may also be varied according to the exhaustion desired.

Chemicals presently being used in high temperature high pressure dyeing of synthetics may be used in this process. For example, it has been found that acids, such as acetic, formic, sulphuric or benzoic acids, work well in this process. Many different types of solvents may be employed, such as caustic soda, tri-sodium phosphate, fatty alcohols, soda ash, phenol, creosote, methyl cellosolve, and many others.

Indigoid types of dyes are suitable for dyeing polyamidic, polyester and acrylonitrile fabrics, such as nylon,-

Dacron and Orlon. For example, Indanthrene Red Violet RH, Color Index 1212; Helidone Pink R Ex, Prototype 109; Indanthrene Brown RRD, Prototype 121; Vat Khaki GP Powder, Indigo M L/4B, Color Index 1184; Indigo M L/2B, Color Index 1183; Helindone Orange R, Color Index 1217; Indigo Yellow G (Ciba), Color Index 1196; Sulfanthrene Black PG, Double Paste Dupont, produce good results in this method. Many other indigoid dyes will equally produce good results.

Various dyestuffs from the acetate groups are suitable for use in dyeing Orlon and Dacron, such as Acetamine Yellow N; Orange GR concentrate, Prototype 43;

Cibacete Red, 33, Prototype 61; Celliton Blue FFR,

Prototype 228; Celliton Fast Yellow G, Prototype 242; Celliton Fast Rubine 3B, Prototype 239.

Many other acetate colors and vat pigments, such as Indanthrene Red Violet RH, Color Index 1212; Helidone Pink R- Ex.-,. Prototype 109;. Ind'anthremi'- Brown RRD; Prototype 121 Vat GP Powder,- Indigo M LIB/4B, Color- Index 1184;- Indigo M LB/ZB, Color Index 1183; Helindone' Orange R, Qolor Index 1217; Indigo Yellow G (.Ciba), Color Index 1196; Sulfanthrene Black PG, Double Paste Dupont are readily fixed by this process on Dacron.

Almost any type of dyes can be used in dyeing nylon including, in addition to those listed, neutral, chrome", vat pigments, direct and acid colors. I

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only; and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating textile material comprising solution, said vessel having spaced ingress and egress openings therein of a size slightly greater than the size of the material and through which the material can successively pass and in the course of which the material is immersed in the solution contained in said pressure ves-'- sel, means for sealing said openings to restrict the pressure from escaping from within the pressure vessel dur-' ing passage of the material through said openings comprising a pair of sealing rolls adjacent each of said open ings, at least one of said rolls being loosely mounted and freely displaceable relative to the other roll, and a fluid sealat the exterior of said pressure vessel for sealing the outer end of each opening.

2. Apparatus for treating textile material comprising a pressure vessel adapted to contain a supply of treating solution, means for heating the treating solution, said vessel having at least one opening therein through which the material passes in its course into and out of the pres sure vessel and whereby the material is immersed in the solution in said pressure vessel, a fluid seal at the exterior of said pressure vessel for sealing the outer end of the opening in the pressure vessel to the atmosphere, whereby the material may move through the fluid seal in its course into and out of said vessel, and a pair of floating and freely displaceable sealing rolls straddling the opening and the material passin therethr'ough.

3. Apparatus for treating textile material in web form comprising a ressure vessel adapted to contain a supply of treating solution, means for heating the treating solution, said vessel Having at least one slot therein through which the web material passes in its course into and out of the pressure vessel whereby the web is immersed in the solution in said pressure vessel, a fluid pressure seal at the exterior of said pressure vessel for sealing the outer end of the slot in the pressure vessel, and a pair of floating and freely displaceable sealing rolls arranged in the slot and straddling the material passing therethrough.

4. Apparatus for dyeing fabric comprising a tank, a supply of treating solution in the tank, a pressure vessel submerged in said tank and surrounded by the treating solution in the tank and having opposed ingress and egress openings therein of a size slightly greater than that of the fabric, said openings being completely submerged, means for directing the fabric into the tank, through the ingress opening, through the pressure vessel, through the egress opening and out of the tank successrvely, said pressure vessel having at least one additional opening therein, a steam injector mounted in said tank and being connected to a source of steam and having a discharge end spaced from the pressure vessel closely adjacent said additional opening and surrounded by the treating solution in the tank whereby the steam injector directs steam into the pressure vessel and the kinetic energy of the steam entering the vessel causes the solution exteriorly of the vessel to be fed into the vessel and apressure vessel adapted to contain a supply of treating also heatsthe solut-ion. exteriorly of the-vessel to substartvessel to' a temperature substantially exceeding its boi1-;

ing point at atmospheric pressure.

5. Apparatus for dyeing: fabric comprising. a tank, a supply of treating solution in the tank, apressure vessel submerged in said tank and having spaced apart and. completely submerged ingress and egress openings therein of a size slightly greater than that of the fabric, means for directing the fabric into the tank, through the ingress opening, through the pressure vessel, through the egress opening and out of the tank successively, said pressure vessel having at least one additional opening therein, anda steam injector mounted in said tank and being,- con nected to a source of steam and having a discharge end-- submerged in the solution of saidtank and spaced from the pressure vessel closely adjacent said additional" opening for directing steam into the pressure vessel and causing solution exteriorly of the vessel to be fed into the vessel while heating the solution. a

6. A cloth dyeing apparatus comprising at least one open-topped tank adapted to contain a supply of dye' liquor, at least one pressure vessel at least partially submerged in said dye liquor in said tank and having an ingress slotand an egress slot therein disposed below the level of the liquor in said tank, each of said slots being of a size slightly greater than that of the cloth, means for sealing each of said slots comprising a pair of sealing rolls arranged in each slot, at least one of said rolls of each pair being loosely mounted and freely displaceable relative to the other roll, means for guiding the cloth into the tank, through the vessel and then out of the tank successively, means for heating the dye liquor in the tank to substantially the boiling point thereof at atmospheric pressure, and means for feeding dye liquor from the tank into the pressure vessel while heating the dye liquor so fed,- whereby the dye liquor within said pressure vessel may be maintained at a temperature sub-- stantially exceeding its normal boiling point at atmospheric pressure and the dye liquor in said pressure vessel is maintained under a pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric pressure due to the openings in said pressure vessel being disposed below the level of the dye liquor in said tank.

7. A cloth dyeing apparatus comprising at least one open-topped tank adapted to contain a supply of dye liquor, at least one pressure vessel at least partially submerged in said dye liquor in said tank and having'an ingress slot and an egress slot therein disposed below the level of the liquor in said tank, each of said slots beingof a size slightly greater than that of the cloth, means for guiding the cloth into the tank, through the vessel and then out of the tank successively, means for heating the dye liquor in the tank to substantially the boiling point thereof at atmospheric pressure, means for feeding dye liquor from the tank into the pressure vessel while heating the dye liquor so fed, whereby the dye liquor within said pressure vessel may be maintained at a temperature substantially exceeding its normal boiling point at atmospheric pressure and the dye liquor in said pressure vessel is maintained under a pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric pressure due to the openings in said pressure vessel being disposed below the level of the dye liquor in said tank, the opposed walls of said slots each having a longitudinally extending groove therein and a relatively small pressure sealing roll loosely mounted in each of said grooves, each of said rolls being freely displaceable relative to each other whereby said cloth passes between adjacent pairs of rolls in its course through each of said openings and the force of the internal pressure of the vessel causes the rolls to impinge upon opposite surfaces of the cloth passing therebetwcen through said p ng 8. Apparatus for dyeing fabric comprising a pressure vessel adapted to contain a supply of super-heated dye liquorunder pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric pressure, said pressure vessel having a pair of spaced ingress and egress openings therein through which the fabric passes in its course through the dye liquor in said pressure vessel, means for sealing said ingress and egress openings for maintaining the necessary pressure within the pressure vessel comprising a pair of sealing rolls adjacent each of said openings, at least one of said rolls being loosely mounted and freely displaceable relative to the other roll, an auxiliary open-topped tank disposed exteriorly of said pressure vessel adjacent each ofsaid openings and also adapted to contain a supply of said dye liquor whose level is disposed below the level of the corresponding openings in the pressure vessel, a wall member engaging said pressure vessel above each of said openings and having a baflie thereon extending downwardly and terminating below the level of said solution in each of said auxiliary tanks to form a steam chamber adjacent the outer end of each of said openings in said vessel, means for introducing steam into each of said steam chambers and also serving to heat the dye liquor in each of said auxiliary tanks, means for guiding the fabric downwardly into the dye liquor in one of said tanks, beneath the corresponding baifle and then upwardly through the steam chamber and thence into the ingress opening of said vessel, means for guiding the fabric through the dye liquor in said vessel, means for guiding the fabric through the egress opening, through said steam chamber and through the dye liquor in the other of said auxiliary tanks and outwardly through the open top of said last-named auxiliary tank.

9. Apparatus for treating web and strand material with an aqueous solution at super atmospheric pressure and at a temperature above boiling point comprising a sealed vessel, means for introducing an aqueous solution into said vessel, means for heating said solution, said vessel having relatively small ingress and egress openings therein through which the material is passed as it is moved through the vessel, a pair of loosely mounted and freely displaceable sealing rolls adjacent each of said openings for sealing the openings and straddling the material passing therethrough, and means for confining fluid adjacent the exterior of said ingress and egress openings to further seal the ingress and egress openings to the atmosphere.

10. A method of treating a continuously moving material which includes successively passing the material through a supply of treating solution open to the atmosphere, through a superatmospheric pressure zone submerged in the supply of treating solution and again through the treating solution and out of the treating solu- 12 tion while injecting steam through the supply of treating solution exteriorly of the pressure zone and into the pressure zone while carrying the treating solution therewith and thereby feeding the treating solution into the pressure zone while maintaining the interior of the pressure zone at a higher temperature than that of the solution surrounding the same.

11. A method of treating continuously moving material which comprises the steps of passing the material into a body of treating solution maintained at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature not exceeding the boiling point, moving the material from the treating solution through a superatmospheric pressure zone submerged in said body and containing additional treating solution at a higher temperature, moving the material out of the pressure zone into said first-named treating solution and replenishing the supply of treating solution in the pressure zone and maintaining a high temperature therein by injecting steam through an opening invthe pressure zone while carrying therewith said first-named treating solution.

12. A method of treating continuously moving material utilizing a container substantially filled with a supply of treating solution and having submerged therein a pressure vessel containing treating solution and having ingress and engress openings for the material to pass therethrough and the openings being positioned below the level of the treating solution in the container; said method comprising the steps of successively passing the material into the supply of treating solution in the container, into and through the pressure vessel and out of the supply of treating solution in the container while maintaining the solution within the pressure vessel at a temperature substantially exceeding the normal boiling point of the treating solution at atmospheric pressure and while maintaining the pressure within the vessel susbtantially above that of atmospheric. pressure by injecting steam through at least one additional opening in the pressure vessel while carrying treating solution from the container with the steam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,985 Clark et 'al. Feb. 4, 1936 2,170,579 Sperry Aug. 22, 1939 2,387,200 Walter Oct. 16, 1945 2,441,991 Converse et al. May 25, 1948 2,522,071 Tait Sept. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 546,648 Great Britain July 23, 1942 

10. A METHOD OF TREATING A CONTINUOUSLY MOVING MATERIAL WHICH INCLUDES SUCCESSIVELY PASSING THE MATERIAL THROUGH A SUPPLY OF TREATING SOLUTION OPEN TO THE ATMOSPHERE, THROUGH A SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE ZONE SUBMERGED IN THE SUPPLY OF TREATING SOLUTION AND AGAIN THROUGH THE TREATING SOLUTION AND OUT OF THE TREATING SOLUTION WHILE INJECTING STEAM THROUGH THE SUPPLY OF TREATING SOLUTION EXTERIORLY OF THE PRESSURE ZONE AND INTO THE PRESSURE ZONE WHILE CARRYING THE TREATING SOLUTION THEREWITH AND THEREBY FEEDING THE TREATING SOLUTION INTO THE PRESSURE ZONE WHILE MAINTAINING THE INTERIOR OF THE PRESSURE ZONE AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE THAN THAT OF THE SOLUTION SURROUNDING THE SAME. 